Art of concrete construction



July 27,1926. I 1,593,771

H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION F'iled Se t. 26, 1922 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 IVNVENTOR v I HERBERT/7.1.INTHWfl/TE. VVITNE'SS B C 9 7 a July 27 1926;

I 1,593,771 H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF c NcRETi: couswnucmou Filed Sept. 26, 1 22 121SheetS-Shee t 2 INVENTOR v I i HER ER T/ZLINTHWAITE WITNESS 1 July 27,1926. v 1,593,771 H. A. LINTHWAITE 1 ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1922 l 12 Shegts-Shet 8 INVENTOR v I HERBERT /4.LINTHW)4(TE wlTNEss M ATTORNEY July 27, 1926. v 1,593,771 H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION v Filed Sept. 26, 922 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVEN TOR HERBERT/4 L/NTHW/l/TE /ITTORNEY QTZZ W fi/M 4 July 27, 1926. I .1, "5.9s,771

' H. A. LINTHWAITE v ART OF concnmg cous rnucm'xou Filed Sept. 26; 192 l'Sheets-Sht s INVE'N TOR HERBERT. flfL/NTHwA/m B I c.

49 w ATTORNEY WITNESS a July 27, '1926.

- H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1922 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 gig /42! w m w m T M T w A wriwrss & & rr

July 27,1926. z v 1,593,771

H. A. L INTHWAITE 1 ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1922 12 Sheets-Sheet? I N VEN TOR.

HERBERT ,4. LINTHW/l/TE.

' ATTORNEY.

July 27,1926;

I H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1922 INVENTOR. HERBERT/4. LlNTHwA/TE.

.JQ A'rrokmsy.

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July 27 1926.. 1,593,771

H A. LENTHWAETE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 2 1922 12 Sheets-Sht 9 INVENTOR.

. HERBERTAL/NTHWA/TE. WITNESS BY @W 1% 76 W L ATTORNEY.

July 27 19.260 1,593,771

H. A. LINTHWAITE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1922 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR.

HERBER T/7. L INTHW/H TE.

wzT/vEss 7r1 ATTORNEY.

- 4 1,593,771 H. A. LINTHWAgTE ART OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26,1922

W 12 Sheets-Sht 1- INVENTOR. HERBERTAL/NTHWAI TE M ATTORNEY.

WITNESS Patented July 27, 1926.

llhll'lED STATES ART OF CONCRETE CDNSTRUCTIEON.

' Application filed September 26, 1922.

This discovery and invention relates to the manufacture of concrete structures and includes an improved concrete structure and a method of and means for manufacturing the same.

Heretofore buildings, the walls of which are made of hydraulic cement concrete, have been subject to the objection that the er;- ternal faces have been absorbent and have been rough in finish. so that before a concrete building was practically completed it had to have the exterior surface painted or otherwise coated to counteract the roughness and porosity.

A further unsatisfactory condition with respect to such structures has prevailed from the cost of constructing and removing the forms between which the walls have heretofore been molded; and the necessity of leaving the forms in place until the material thereof has become hard; this being necessary on account of the tendency of the green concrete to crack and chip off at the edges and faces upon removal of the form or mold, and an object of this invention is to avoid that objection and to simplify the operation and minimize the time required in forming the concrete structure either with reinforced or non-reinforced concrete.

Heretofore air bonding and adhesion bc tween the concrete and the mold have caused pitting, and checking of the molded surface at removal of the mold; and especially is this true with respect to the top corners of molded walls of concrete material, and an objectof this invention is to avoid checking, pitting and cracking of the corners'of the surface, and yet allow the molds to be removed from the green concrete material.

I have discovered that the objections hereiubefore pointed out can be largely eliminated and a superior concrete structure be manufactured in place, if the structure is molded between troweling surfaces and, after the molded mass is sufficiently set to hold its shape, and while it is still moist, said troweline: surfaces are moved to smooth the surface of the plastic molded material, the mold can be removed without causing any pitting of the surface, and that by moving said troweling surface downward, all danger of chipping 0a the corners is Serial No. 590,616.

avoided and the adhesion and the air bonding between the structure and the mold will be practically eliminated, and the mold can then be removed from the face of the structure, and the freshly molded portion of the structure will remain intact from top to bottom.

This discovery and invention is broadly new, basic and pioneer in numerous respects; viz, provision is made whereby the troweling members or walls of the mold may be moved downward after the concrete has been poured or tamped and the surface thus trowelled for smoothing the molded portion of the structure, and means are provided whereby said troweling faces or members can be withdrawn horizontally from the molded material after such walls have been moved downward.

I have discoverer. that the smoothing effect and the breaking of the air bond and of the adhesion between the molded material and the faces of the mold need not be of any great amplitude and i have discovered that by supportin i, the mold on the top of a lower course while the pouring, tamping and smoothing of an upper course is being; perfected, the work can be proceeded with at a much greater speed than heretofore possible.

l his discovery and invention is applicable to the construction of hoth hollow channel concrete walls and solid concrete walls, and

said walls can be constructed in any house or other building or structure where concrete walls plain or reinforced can be in corporated. 1

An object is to make a hollow wall of maximun'l strength for a. given thickness and to provide for ready introduction of fireplaces, chimneys, doors, windows and other features, appliances and adjuncts.

An object of this invention to provide compact, portable, practical, adaptable, useful forms, the use of which will permit of the rapid, sure, safe, cheap, clean, strong and scientific construction of concrete walls of either plain or reinforced, poured, or tamped molded concrete.

An object is to provide a fire proof, water proof, moisture proof, frost proof, vermin proof hollow channel wall construction with air space between outer and inner walls, and also to provide for the construction of solid continuous walls without air space.

An object to provide forms that are new, practical, adaptable, useful and complete in their oliice and adaption, and that are really portable, and that are so constructed that they can be readily lifted, moved, aitljusted, controlled, placed in position and removed from the wall by manual labor.

The discovery and invention includes the method and manner of supporting the forms on the wall and the method and manner of controlling the operations of the forms in their movement downward and outward, freeing the face of the forms from contact withthe face of the concrete without distorting, disturbing or disfiguring the face of the concrete contained therein.

An object is to cheaply and rapidly construct a wall that will present a clean smooth perfect surface on the outside of the outside wall, and on the inside of the inside wall, and on both sides of the air space, or on either side of the solid wall.

The invention includes a corner form and the operation thereof is adaptable to the control of a corner form for hollow channel wall or for solid wall construction.

An object is to provide forms that can be adjusted to make any desired thickness of concrete wall, also give any desired breadth to air space in the hollow channel sections.

A principle of the invention is that by ramming the concrete in the forms, thoroughly filling all voids thereby, and then sliding the form downward, then opening outward straight-away from the face of the concrete, the action of the movement down ward is in direct line with the gravity compression of the concrete, and that this downward motion of the form does not tend to disrupt or displace any part of the gravity molded concrete, and that by the simultaneone motion of the faces of the form moving straight-away clear of the concrete, there is left a perfectly true and smooth concrete wall which is clean, hard and solid in every respect. The control of the forms may be effected in various ways as by the use of gear wheels and tracks, also with the use of eccentrio, also a cam control.

It is desirable in concrete construction that the forms shall be removed from the molded structure as soon as possible so that the forms may be released for re-use; and it is neces sary to avoid any jars in such removal, because with green concrete, the slightest jar is likely to cause internal as well as surface ruptures and consequent weakening of the wall. Such ruptures will not knit together and they necessitate tearing down and recasting the ruptured portions.

lVith poured concrete it' is necessary to keep the forms on the structure for a period greater than with tamped concrete; but I have discovered that by removing the forms from either tamped or poured concrete walls and wetting the surface, the hardening of the surface and the crystallization and solidifying of the wall more quickly and preferably effected than where the forms are left on after sufiicient setting of the concrete has occurred.

An object of this invention is to enable the constructor to get early inspection and to secure perfect surface crystallization.

Another object is to make the walls practically sound proof.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view mainly in section on line m03 Fig. 6 showing a form of one construction supported on a foundation and ready to receive concrete. Reinforcement. and a molded concrete section are also shown in place. Broken lines indicate some of the parts out off by said section line.

Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section on irregular line m -w Fig. 6, showing a form on a wall that is in course of construction; the form being opened from a green concrete block, with end gate withdrawn, the form released and lowered, the control opened. the sides of the form moved away clear from contact with the concrete, and the channel section with continuous air space, and reinforcement covered up; the form being ready to be lifted clear of the wall.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line a, Fig. 1, showing the form set ready to receive the concrete, and the bridge having centering point and set in the die-made recesses, in the course below the form; also showing the steel rod of the reinforcement hooked over the two rods running through the course of the wall; also "showing on the top of the form on the inside face of the wall, the die which is for making the recess for the support of the bridge for the next course of the wall.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a wall corner constructed in accordance with this new method.

Fig. l is a cross section of the form lowered and opened from a molded section of concrete wall and ready to be lifted clear away from such concrete wall and set ahead to be refilled.

Fig. P is a fraginental perspective of the wall construction between door and window openings.

Fig. 5 is an outside elevation of the form shown in previous'views; the same'being in place on a partly constructed wall.

Jill;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section on line as, 2, with some of the central parts intact.

Fig. 'l' a plan of a corner form in place ready to receive th concrete.

8 is a View of the form shown in F "4" opei'icd after troweiling operation on taniped concrete corner blodr, and ready for removal. from a corner oi? the wall. which is shown in place. The end plates are shown detached.

Fig. 9 is a plan illustrating one of the right hand bridges, having one end adapted for removal from the Wall by a turn in one direction only.

9 is a side elevation of the bridge shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is a plan of a left hand bridge complementary to the bridge shown in 9 9 Big. 10 its an end View of the right and left dies, which may be used to form the re cesses to receive the ends of bridges adapted to turn in one direction only.

Fig. 10 is a side View of one of the die shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a die adapted to make recess to allow the bridge'to be released by a turn either to the right or to the left.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged frag-mental sectional detail of the dropping device for dropping and raising the trowelling faces.

12 is a plan of a form for molding; a practically solid concrete wall, a frag ment of which is shown. The form is shown set in position to receive a concrete charge.

Fig. 13 is a plan of the form shown in Fig. 12, the parts being open and ready for lifting from the concrete section just completed.

F tel; is a cross section through the form shown in Fin. 12 in place. The same dropk ping device for a solid wall 18 here shown in transverse section la is a View analogous to F let shomng the form expanded.

Fig. 16 is a plan oi? a solid corner form in place on a wall.

i 1? is a low oil the rin shown in 1.6, the form being open t' release the a portion of which is shown finished. i8 is a plan of another construction oi straightaway 'iorin, fragments of the wall are shown.

V is a View analogous to 18, showing the same torn-1 as 18, released. Fig. 20 is an elevation transverse to the wall showing a modified construction oi the form which is shown closed on tragi'ents of a hollow wall.

21 a View analogous to Fig. 20

I the form open. lhe green or freshly tainped concrete blocks 1 of the wall are mounted upon a -lOLiOVI lllt-Qfllll pilastered wall formed of 132..t1ll67. stacks of concrete blocks 9.; the

nner faces oisaid stacks being channeled; ,he channels 5 being formed by the reces between the pilasters Z.

The mold for each stack comprises a member having a fiat outer trowelling face 8 and a member having an inner trowelling' face 9 mainly parallel thereto and having a flat intermediate portion and deflection 1U therefrom adapted to form parts of the pilaster faces 11.

The trowelling faces for the enter and inner wall faces on one side of the hollow ki'illl.,'2li d 'nished from those for the enter and inner wall faces on the other side of the well, by means of an exponent; the trowelling :taces or walls for the outside of one being marked 8, and that for the inner side the opposite stack being BIT- iec 9; which like face for the other ontsre and inside wall are marked 8, 9. The same is true with respect to the parts n'r lied i0, 10. Likewise the faces marked 8, 9, l0 and 11 are connected for simultaneous lateral IHOVQDKEIHJ.

An adjustable end 19. is provided to xtend across the space between the two in nor walls 9, 9 of the form, at the end thereof, and these are adapted by slot and pin niieans 13, i l to contraction of the core oi the form, such core being thus practically constructed of the trowelling which are adapted to form the ii of the concrete blocks 1 they are tainped to the mold which the form constitatcs.

The or d of .the i orin comprises a plate having vertical 15. 16, ii a; faces 15 being alined with each 0' versely of l .e mold and the bee. ing deflected inwardly and the a connection between the e A .e deflections 1'5; and sun ends of form are lapt d to form the forward ends l eainst which molded the trowell the dogs 21 adapted to rest on shoulders formed at he top of the post 19. Said dogs 21 are pivoted pivots 23 to the reciprocating post 324 that is adapted by the pin and slot means 25.

to move up and down relative to the stationary bridges 3.

The pivots 23 are supported :3? screwed through. rci ,o cem,ts 28 i into the reciprocatin posts 2 and the doc ield in the s shown in F 1 s o 1: i W 1 10th S id posts 2 lare wt accommodate are ccnnec' pivots 3% with the upper end of the dogs 21; said links are arr ged to slant upwardly from to the pins 32 when th dog's .i rest o: he shoulders and saic are operable by handles 3:) s that up on the handles the dogs 21 red with slots 31 drawn apart at the lower end thus lowin the posts to be lowered. posts :2" re connected to guides 36 cly connected respectively i S and 9, and

t. 4. p ,L gates id tlllfllltill c o necessary that the trowelling itac s movable laterally simultaneously 4 V faces 8 moving outwardly away from and the lllel faces inwardly ton rd the vertical -d-plane of the Wall in order to rcler :e the torn: from the green concrete.

I have prov ded central gears 31'' fixed to the reciprocating posts and rotatable by means 01' the handles 38 and have provided com ections between the outer trowelling iace on o: e o and the inner tron elling face 9 on ti. ot 1er side and have likewise connected top'et r the trc-Weliing faces 8 ovement oi. the connected faces and 3 and the connected faces 8' and 9 must c simultaneous in one or the other horizonta direction at right angles to the trmvelling faces. Such connections are snovvn as including bars 39, 39; and said gears 3'3" engage the rack 4O, d0 of said bars upon opposite sides of said gears, respectively to simultaneously spread apartthe outer trowelling faces 8, 8 and to move toward each other the inner trovfelling faces 9, 9". i

The rack bars 39 are fixed by brackets 11 to the outer troWelling face 8 and extend acr es and tree from the adjacent inner trowelling face 9 and are fixed to the farther i nor trovvelling face 9. The standards d3 form a connection by which the outer trowelling face 8 is fixed to said rack bar 39.

'lihe rack bar 39 is connected b Y standards to the other outer trowelling face 8 and extends across the adjacent inner trowelling "face 9 and is fired to the opposite trowelling S)". The standards as and 43 are J. ably on the guides 36 and 36 Which guide is vertically movable on the post 241- by means of the cross Z so that when the operator raises the handle 38 the post 24; may drawn up; and by drawing up the handle be the dogs 21 Will be released from the supports 19; and by revolving the handle 38 each tron oi ing face Will be moved out of contact with the Wall which has beenjmolded thereagainst.

Referring now to the form shown in Fig. for corner construction, the central gear is arranged to mesh With the rack bars vv rich are "ixed by suitable means as v 4-? to the outermost corner 1-8 and the innermost iniace L9; and the diagonal fastened by the brackets 16 innermost corner trowelling Which is pivoted by the pin 56.

The red 51 may be fastened in any suitable ivay as by hooking over removable pin 56 and bracket by releasing the latch 51, the end necessary.

In Figs. 12, 11), 14, 15, 16 and 17 the Walls are o1 eratec by a suitable eccentric device 60. In 18, 19, 20 and 21 a cam arrangement is shown to serve the same purpose.

In the form shown in Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 1? conical core supported on the metal dish 81 is fixed by a brace 82 to the hollow center post 19.

The conical core 80 is fastened to a hollow post 19 by suitable brackets 82 resting on the metal dish 81 until the completion of the filling oi the form. The trowelling faces are removed from contact of the concrete by the turning the handle 38 and turning cone 80, thus freeing the molding means from contact with the concrete.

The operation of manufacturing Walls of a building in accord nce with this discovery and invention is apparent from the forel ihen the Wall footings 2* have been hst constructel in the usual manner, the corner form shown in F 7 is set, and the concrete is cast therein; this operation is repeated at all corners and angles of the Wall.

gate 53 may be swung in when the outermost inside trowel- The forms shown in Figs. l and 2 are then placed, joining to the section cast by corner form such as is shown in Fig. 7 and said form filled with concrete. The operation of placing and filling forms shown in Flo. l is continued around the course of the wall between the corners previously :onstructed, and with forms of V0. icus lengths to accommodate the architectural design.

Upon completion of the of the f rst course, the corner forms as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are placed on top. of the corner sections previously cast and new casts are made.

The concrete cast in the second course knits with and adheres to the lower cours thus making a monolithic bond.

The process is repeated for each course, using the various forms not shown, constructed to carry out the architectural de sign, and the process is repeated to the completion of the wall leaving the wall a monolithi structure smooth and perfect at the completion of the wall structure itself.

Upright and transverse reinforcing steel rods 83, as are placed in the molds as shown in Fig. 3 and the cross rods 84; are sup ported, in the slots 18 of the section of end gate 18 shown in Fig. 6. These cross rods supported in said slots in the end gate, are wired to the upright rods 83 shown in Fig. 3; thus being held in place while the filling and tamping of the concrete is accomplished; and remaining in position after the end gate 18 shown in Fig. 6 is removed.

Preferably this reinforcement occurs in each pilaster throughout the wall structure; and by this means of reinforcing, both walls are tied together across the air space with metal or other suitable ties.

This reinforcement is begun at the first course above the footing and is carried through each pilaster to the final course of the wall at the top of the building; thus tying both walls securely to each other by steel or other suitable reinforcement in every pilaster in the wall structure.

It is thus seen that I have constructed a wall of concrete blocks iaving a uniform trowelled surface, said surface extending from bottom to top of the wall. By trowelled surface I mean a surface that is con-- dcnsed and smoothed as by the rubbing of a trowel upon a freshly molded and measurably plastic cementitious body whereby the trowelled surface is made denser and smoother than is possible without such move ment of the trowelling device while the body is plastic but while it has suflicient set to remain upright when the trowelling device is withdrawn from the smooth surface.

In Fig. 4 two short hollow walls united by the transverse reinforcement 84 are shown as forming a pillar between the window framing 85 and the door framing 86.

Such framing may he of wood, metal or any other suitable material. is understood that the pieces 15 with their deflect any suitable form desired and shown in tie draw-- -gs as being provided 7, with which clamps, as the trowelling faces to trowel the bloclr surfaces and then moving the trowelling faces from the t. welled surfaces.

The met od of wall building set one r more which comprises establish plastlc concretebloclrs upon a SLUlZalJiQ support h :wcen trowelling faces, moving said trowellinc' faces downward to trowel the hloclr sur aces in the direction of the force of gravity, and then moving the trowelling faces from the trowel cd surfaces.

3. The method of wall building set forth. which comprises placingmetal reinforce ment upon a suitable support and estab. ing a plastic concrete block on said support and re'nforcemcnt, and between trowelling faces; then moving said trowelling faces downward to trowel the block surfaces, and then mot: the trowelling faces away floor the trowelled surfaces.

The method set forth of constructing a wall, which comprises placing metal rein forccment upon a suitable support and establishino; plastic concrete upon said support and reinforcement, and between trowelling faces; then moving the trowelling faces to trowel the concrete surfaces, and then moving said trowelling straight away from the trowelled concrete surfaces.

5. The method set forth of constructing wall, which comprises establishing parallel blocks of plastic concrete upon. a suitable support between parallel trowelling faces arranged in pairs, then moving the trowelling faces to trowel the plastic concrete; and then moving said. trowelling faces away from their respective trowelled surfaces.

6. The method set forth of constructing a wall, which comprises establishing parallel blocks of plastic concrete upon suitable supporting and reinforcing means between parallel trowelling faces arranged in pairs; then moving the trowellingfaces to trowel the plastic concrete; and then moving said its bloc] The n'iethod forth of constructing a wall which comprises establishing parallel blocks of plastic concrete upon suitable supporting and reinforcing means between parallel trowelling faces arranged in pairs; forming oppositely arranged arcuate imprints in the tops of the blocks of each pair; mov ng the trowelling faces to trowel the of the plastic blocks; moving the trowelling faces away from the trowelled surfaces; elevating the trowelling faces above the level of the blocks; establishing a support having arcuate ends in the imprints; supporting the trowelling faces upon said support; returning the trowelling faces to position to serve as molds. and applying reinforcement on the molded blocks; adjusting the trowelling faces to position for molding concrete blocks on the reinforcement and the molded blocks, and moving the trowelling faces to trowel the surfaces of the plastic blocks between the trowelling faces, and then moving the trowelling faces away from the trowelled surfaces.

A mold comprising a flat trowelling face; a trowellin'g face arranged facing the fiat trowelling ace and provided with pi aster forming deflections extending away from the flattrowelling face; means to hold said trowelling faces in practical parallelism and means for moving said trowelling faces to trowel the surfaces of the bloclt molded between said trowelling faces and means to give a separating movement simultaneous to said rowelling faces.

l0. A mold comprising parallel faces and a plate at one end of said parallel faces, d plate having two alined vertical faces; faces forming inward deflections from said alined faces; and a face forming a connecti between the deflections, the plates hel1 g removable from the parallel faces and adapted to be connected to said parallel faces to form a mold for molding blocks having pilasters.

11. A mold comprising parallel faces one of which has deflections at its ends away from the other face; an end piece connected to and removable from the parallel faces to form a mold for molding a block having a pilaster; and means to move the parallel faces vertically and horizontally in succession.

12. mold comprising two outside flat faces; two inside faces having flat portions in parallelism with the outer fiat faces and having deflections for forming the faces of pilasters, an end piece having central deflections to connect the pilaster forming deflections of the inner faces; means for detachably connecting the end piece with too outer trowelling fa neans for mow ing the trowelling faces vertically; and means for moving the trowelling faces horir-zontai.

A}. In combination, a mold having faces arranged in vertical parallelism and means to connect said faces; a support adapted to rest on a completed portion of a wall and to L I rtthe connected faces; means for lowg the faces; and means for moving the aces toward and from each other.

ll. In combination with a mold comprisin four trowelling faces and means to move id faces toward and from each other to at the mold to simultaneously mold two spaced blocks of a hollow concrete wall; a bridge to rest on two previously molded spaced blocks and to extend across the space between said mold blocks and to rest on said blocks; and means on said bridge to support said faces and allow them to be lowered and raised.

15. In combination with a mold of the character described; having four trowelling faces arranged in vertical parallelism with each other; means for supporting the mold. and for allowing vertical and horizontal movement of the faces and a bridge to sup port said supporting means; saic bridge being adapted to rest on top of previously molded blocks of a hollow wall, and havimz; arcuate ends to allow the bridge to be re volved to remove the ends of the bridge from blocks molded on said ends and pre viously molded blocks.

16. Means for molding walls comprising a corner mold, provided with trowclling faces; means to support said mold on a foundation or a previously molded part of a wall, means to lower the mold to trowel freshly molded surfaces; and means to re-- lease the trowelling faces from the trowelled faces.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 20th day of September, 1922.

HERBERT A. LINTHWAITE 

